4 O let thy sacred word impart
Its sealing influence to my heart;
With pow'r, and light, and love divine,
Assure my soul that thou art mine.
5 The blissful word, with joy replete,
Shall bid my gloomy fears retreat,
And heav'n-born hope, serenely bright,
Shine cheerful through this mortal night.
6 Then shall my joyful spirit rise
On wings of faith above the skies;
And when these transient scenes are o'er,
And this vain world shall tempt no more:
7 O may I reach the blissful plains,
Where thy unclouded glory reigns,
And dwell forever near thy throne
In joys to mortal thoughts unknown.
HYMN 570. C. M.
Intreating the Presence of Christ in his Churches. Hag. xi. 7.
COME, thou desire of all thy saints,
Our humble strains attend,
While with our praises and complaints
Low at thy feet we bend.
2 When we thy wond'rous glories hear,
And all thy suff'rings trace,
What sweetly awful scenes appear!
What rich unbounded grace!
3 How should our songs, like those above,
With warm devotion rise!
How should our souls, on wings of love,
Mount upward to the skies!
4 But ah! the song, how cold it flows!
How languid our desire !
How faint the sacred passion glows,
Till thou the heart inspire!
5 Come, Lord, thy love alone can raise
In us the heav'nly flame;
Then shall our lips resound thy praise,
Our hearts adore thy name.
6 Dear Saviour, let thy glory shine,
And fill thy dwellings here,
Till life, and love, and joy divine
A heav'n on earth appear.
7 Then shall our hearts enraptur'd say,
Come, great Redeemer, come,
And bring the bright, the glorious day,
That calls thy children home.
HYMN 571. S. M.
The Heavenly Shepherd. Ps. xxiii. 1, 2, 3.
WHILE my Redeemer's near,
My shepherd and my guide,
I bid farewell to anxious fear,
My wants are all supply'd.
2 To ever-fragrant meads,
Where rich abundance grows,
His gracious band indulgent leâds,
And guards my sweet repose.
And kind refreshment smiles serene,
To cheer my fainting soul.
How sweet a lot is mine!
With pleasure, food, and safety blest ;
Beneficence divine!
5 Dear shepherd, if I stray,
My wand'ring feet restore,
To thy fair pastures guide my way,
And let me rove no more.
6 Unworthy, as I am,
Of thy protecting care,
Jesus, I plead thy gracious name,
For all my hopes are there.
TOW pleasing is the scene, how sweet!
When kindred souls in friendship join
Whose joys and cares united meet
In bands of amity divine.
2 Less fragrant was the ointment pour'd
On Aaron's consecrated head,
When balmy sweets profusely shower'd Down to his sacred vesture spread. 3 Not flow'ry Hermon e'er display'd, (Impearl'd with dew,) a fairer sight; Nor Zion's beauteous hills, array'd In golden beams of morning light. 4 'Tis here the Lord indulgent sheds His kindest gifts, a heavenly store; With life immortal crowns their heads, When earth's frail comforts please no more.
HYMN 573. P. M.
Lord's Day Morning.
GREAT God, this sacred day of thine
Demands our souls' collected powers;
May we employ in work divine
These solemn, these devoted hours!
O may our souls adoring own
The grace which calls us to thy throne!
2 Hence, ye vain cares and trifles, fly,
Where God resides appear no more.
Omniscient God, thy piercing eye
Can every secret thought explore;
O may thy grace our hearts refine,
And fix our thoughts on things divine.
3 The word of life, dispens'd to-day,
Invites us to a heavenly feast;
May every ear the call obey,
Be every heart a humble guest!
O bid the wretched sons of need
On soul-reviving dainties feed!
4 Thy spirit's powerful aid impart ;
O may thy word, with life divine,
Engage the ear, and warm the heart;
Then shall the day indeed be thine,
Then shall our souls adoring own
The grace which calls us to thy throne. MRS. STEELE,
RAISE ye the Lord; let praise employ.
In his own courts your songs of joy ;
The spacious firmament around
Shall echo back the joyful sound.
2 Recount his works in strains divine;
His wond'rous works how bright they shine!
Praise him for his almighty deeds,
Whose greatness all your praise exceeds.
3 Awake the trumpet's piercing sound,
To spread your sacred pleasures round;
While sweeter music tunes the lute,
The warbling harp, and breathing flute.
4 Ye virgin train, with joy advance
To praise him in the graceful dance;
To praise awake each tuneful string,
And to the solemn organ sing.
5 Let the loud cymbal sounding high,
To softer, deeper notes reply;
Harmonious let the concert rise,
And bear the rapture to the skies.
6 Let all whom life and breath inspire,
Attend and join the blissful choir;
But chiefly you who know his word,
Adore, and love, and praise the Lord.
OW chang'd the face of nature shows, the rural scene!
A fairer bloom the flowers disclose,
The meads a livelier green.
2 While beauty clothes the fertile vale,
And blossoms on the spray,
And fragrance breathes in every gale,
How sweet the vernal day!
3 And hark! the feather'd warblers sing! ́ ́
"Tis nature's cheerful voice;
Soft music hails the lovely spring,
And woods and fields rejoice.
4 How kind the influence of the skies!
These showers, with blessings fraught,
Bid verdure, beauty, fragrance rise,
And fix the roving thought.
5 O let my wondering heart confess,
With gratitude and love,
The bounteous hand that deigns to bless
The garden, field, and grove.
6 That bounteous hand my thoughts adore,
Beyond expression kind,
Hath sweeter, nobler gifts in store,
To bless the craving mind.
7 That hand, in this hard heart of mine
Can make each virtue live,
And kindly showers of grace divine
Life, beauty, fragrance give.
8 O God of nature, God of grace,
Thy heavenly gifts impart ;
And bid sweet meditation trace
Spring blooming in my heart!
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